Drinkable water well structure and method for making drinkable water wells

ABSTRACT

A drinkable water well structure ( 1 ) comprises: a structural tube ( 2 ) defining a lateral wall of a well; a submersible pump ( 6 ), positioned at a lower end ( 3 ) of the tube ( 2 ) and connected to a delivery conduit ( 10 ); and a support device ( 7 ) that supports the pump ( 6 ) and connects mechanically and in a fluid-tight manner the pump ( 6 ) to an inner lateral surface ( 12 ) of the tube ( 2 ), in such a way that the tube ( 2 ) performs both a structural function, since the tube ( 2 ) defines the lateral wall of the well, and a function of channelling the water drawn by the pump ( 6 ), since the tube ( 2 ) also defines the delivery conduit ( 10 ) of the pump ( 6 ).

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a drinkable water well structure and to a method for making drinkable water wells (the general definition of drinkable water including any water intended for human consumption and thus also, among the others, spring water, mineral water, etc.).

BACKGROUND ART

A drinkable water well normally consists of a vertical excavation in which a containment and water drawing structure is inserted; the structure commonly comprises a containment tube, which is inserted into the excavation during drilling and constitutes the lateral wall of the well, and a submersible pump, located on the bottom of the containment tube and that remains in use immersed in the water and is connected to a delivery tube, housed inside the containment tube and through which the water is drawn and brought to the surface.

With this type of structure, between the delivery tube of the pump and the wall of the containment tube there is a hollow space, in which the water level rises and lowers and in which algae, bacteria and other organisms proliferate, forming a biofilm on the walls of the tubes; this implies obvious hygiene problems and the need to sanitize the well at periodic intervals.

Moreover, the implementation of these structures poses some constructive problems, requiring the well to be dug and then the submersed pump to be placed with the relative delivery tube at the correct depth.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a drinkable water well structure and a method for making drinkable water wells which are free from the drawbacks of the prior art mentioned above; in particular, an object of the invention is to provide a structure and a making method which, while being particularly simple, allow the frequency of sanitizing operations to be reduced.

The present invention therefore relates to a drinkable water well structure and to a method for making drinkable water wells as defined in essential terms in the appended claims 1 and 11, respectively, as well as, for the preferred additional characters, in the dependent claims.

The structure of the invention allows the problems related to the proliferation of bacteria, algae, etc., in the hollow space between the containment tube and the delivery conduit of the pump to be eliminated, since the containment tube also acts as a delivery conduit; in this way, the need of conducting sanitizing operations of the well is greatly reduced; in addition, the structure is particularly simple to be made and installed, and the method of the invention is as a whole simple and fast to be implemented.

The invention finds application both in new well constructions, which are dug and provided with the structure of the invention, and in the conversion of existing wells, in which the structure according to the invention is installed on the existing excavation, also using the containment tube already installed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the present invention will appear clearly from the following description of a non-limiting embodiment example thereof, made with reference to the figures in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a partially sectional diagrammatic view of a drinkable water well structure according to a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in enlarged scale and with parts removed for clarity, of a detail of the structure in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partially sectional diagrammatic view of a drinkable water well structure according to a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a view in enlarged scale and with parts removed for clarity, of a detail of the structure in FIG. 3.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 indicates as a whole a drinkable water well structure.

Structure 1 mainly comprises: a structural tube 2, extending along an axis A between a lower end 3 and an upper end 4 and having a lateral wall 5, for example substantially cylindrical; a submersible pump 6, positioned at the lower end 3 of tube 2; a support device 7 to mechanically and in a fluid-tight manner connect pump 6 to the lateral wall 5 of tube 2; an upper casing 8, positioned at the upper end 4 of tube 2 and fixed to tube 2 via, for example, a flanged coupling 9.

Tube 2 is inserted, in use, in a vertical excavation or well (not shown), of which it defines a lateral wall, to a depth sufficient to reach an aquifer or source from which water is drawn.

Tube 2 performs both a structural function, forming the lateral wall of the well, and a function of channelling the water drawn by pump 6, defining a delivery conduit 10 of pump 6.

Tube 2 is possibly formed by a series of pipe sections joined to one another along axis A; at the lower end 3, tube 2 is provided with an inner support element 11, belonging to support device 7 and fixed to an inner lateral surface 12 of tube 2.

With reference also to FIG. 2, support element 11 is substantially ring-shaped; in particular, support element 11 comprises a radially inner ring 13, which extends from surface 12 of tube 2 and is for example welded to lateral wall 5; ring 13 has a central through opening 14 and has an upper face 15, facing towards upper end 4 of tube 2, substantially flat.

Pump 6 is a submersible pump of per se known type and is only schematically shown in FIG. 1; pump 6 has a pump body 16 with a suction inlet 17, from which pump 6 draws water, and a delivery outlet 18, through which pump 6 delivers water.

Pump 6 is supported and mechanically connected to tube 2 by support device 7, which divides tube 2 in a lower zone 21 of water drawing, in which pump 6 is housed, and an upper zone 22, in which the water drawn by pump 6 flows and which constitutes delivery conduit 10 of pump 6.

Support device 7 separates in a fluid-tight manner the two zones 21, 22, for example by means of a gasket 23.

Support device 7 comprises support element 11 and a mounting flange 24 on which pump 6 is mounted and which is connected mechanically and in a fluid-tight manner to inner lateral surface 12 of tube 2, so as to support pump 6 in tube 2.

In particular, flange 24 is ring-shaped and has a central opening 25; flange 24 is provided with an attachment 26 to be attached to pump body 16 of pump 6 and rests on support element 11, precisely on upper face 15 of ring 13; gasket 23 is, in the non-limiting example shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an axial sealing gasket positioned between a lower face 27 of flange 24 and upper face 15 of ring 13. For example, gasket 23 is defined by a sealing ring housed in an annular seat 28 formed on face 27 of flange 24 and/or on face 15 of ring 13.

Pump body 16 of pump 6 is attached to flange 24, for example by means of a threaded coupling, optionally provided with an anti-rotation/unscrewing system.

Pump 6 extends from flange 24 in such a way that inlet 17 is positioned below support element 11, and outlet 18 is positioned above support element 11 or hydraulically communicates, for example through central opening 25 of flange 24 and/or central opening 14 of ring 13, with delivery conduit 10 (i.e. with upper zone 22 of tube 2).

Flange 24 is provided with a housing for cables (not shown) for powering and controlling pump 6, and a lifting system 30.

Lifting system 30 for example comprises a bracket 32 fixed to flange 24 and which extends from an upper face 33 of flange 24, and a suspension element 34, for example a chain or cable or other similar element, coupled to bracket 32; suspension element 34 is coupled, at upper end 4 of tube 2, to a releasable stopping device 35; suspension element 34 has an upper free section 36, projecting from device 35 and intended to be coupled on a hoist to maneuver bracket 32.

Upper end 4 of tube 2 is closed by casing 8, which is fixed to tube 2 through flanged coupling 9, formed by a pair of flanges fixed to tube 2 and casing 8, respectively.

Casing 8 is provided with a fitting 41 connected to an outlet tubing 42 (through which the water drawn from the well is delivered to the user).

Casing 8 is also provided with a drawing tap 43, an outlet 44 for cables, an inspection window 45 and an auxiliary inlet 46 for introducing any treatment agents within tube 2.

According to the method of the invention, a drinkable water well is made as follows.

In known manner, the necessary vertical excavation is made and tube 2 is positioned (if necessary, adding and combining various sections gradually) in the excavation.

Lower end 3 of tube 2 is provided with support element 11, arranged to receive and support flange 24 and pump 6.

Pump 6, fixed to flange 24, is lowered through open upper end 4 of tube 2 through lifting system 30 and suspension element 34, connected to a hoist, until flange 24 rests on support element 11.

Suspension element 34 is then attached to device 35 stop and detached from the hoist.

Finally, casing 8 is fixed through flanged coupling 9.

FIGS. 3 and 4, in which details similar or identical to those already described are indicated with the same reference numerals, show a variant of structure 1 of the invention, particularly suitable in case an existing well is to be modified.

Structure 1 still comprises structural tube 2, submersible pump 6 positioned at lower end 3 of tube 2, support device 7 and casing 8.

In this case, in order to obviate the difficulty of providing lower end 3 of tube 2 with support element (for example, to use a tube 2 already installed, without support element 11), support device 7 includes an expandable gasket 23, in particular a pneumatic inflatable gasket, mounted on flange 24 which carries pump 6.

In particular, gasket 23 is a radial sealing gasket, radially inserted between mounting flange 24 and inner lateral surface 12 of tube 2; for example, gasket 23 is housed in an annular seat 28, positioned along a radially outer peripheral edge 48 of mounting flange 24 and facing surface 12.

Gasket 23 is configured to selectively assume a retracted installation configuration, in which gasket 23 is entirely housed in seat 28 and does not project radially outside seat 28; and an expanded sealing configuration, in which gasket 23 projects radially outside seat 28 and beyond edge 48 for contacting inner lateral surface 12 of tube 2.

Gasket 23 is fed by an air tube 49 connected to an inflation device (for example, a compressor), known and not shown; air tube 49 is housed in tube 2 and protrudes from a dedicated hole 50 in casing 8; gasket 23 selectively assumes the retracted installation configuration and the expanded sealing configuration, feeding air to gasket 23 and drawing air from gasket 23.

In the expanded sealing configuration, gasket 23 exerts a pressure on surface 12 sufficient to support flange 24 and pump 6, and thereby to mechanically fix flange 24 and pump 6 to tube 2. To firmly support flange and pump 6 even under the pressure of the water column that is formed in zone 22 (delivery-conduit 10), flange 24 and pump 6 are still fixed to lifting system 30 and specifically to suspension element 34 already described (which is in turn fixed, at upper end 4 of tube 2, to releasable stopping device 35).

In this variant, tube 2 can be a tube already installed in an existing well.

The method of the invention therefore does not require the steps of digging and installing tube 2, because it uses the existing pipe.

Pump 6 and flange 24, provided with gasket 23 in the retracted installation configuration, are lowered into existing tube 2, through lifting system 30 and suspension element 34, connected to a hoist.

Once the desired position at lower end 3 of tube 2 has been reached, gasket 23 is inflated, bringing it to the expanded sealing configuration; gasket 23 radially expands adhering to inner lateral surface 12 of tube 2 and thereby fixing in a fluid-tight manner pump 6 to lateral wall 5 of tube 2.

Suspension element 34 is then fixed to stopping device 35, so as to ensure support of flange 24 and pump 6, and detached from the hoist.

Finally, it is understood that further changes and variations may be made to the drinkable water well structure and to the method described and shown herein without departing from the scope of the appended claims. 

1. A drinkable water well structure (1), comprising a structural tube (2) defining a lateral wall of a well; and a submersible pump (6), positioned at a lower end (3) of the tube (2) and connected to a delivery conduit (10); the structure being characterized by comprising a support device (7) that supports the pump (6) and connects mechanically and in a fluid-tight manner the pump (6) to an inner lateral surface (12) of the tube (2), in such a way that the tube (2) performs both a structural function, since the tube (2) defines the lateral wall of the well, and a function of channelling the water drawn by the pump (6), since the tube (2) also defines the delivery conduit (10) of the pump (6).
 2. A structure according to claim 1, wherein the support device (7) is positioned at the lower end (3) of the tube (2) and divides the tube (2) in a lower zone (21) for water suction, in which an inlet (17) of the pump (6) is located, and an upper zone (22), communicating with an outlet (18) of the pump (6) and that constitutes the delivery conduit (10) of the pump (6).
 3. A structure according to claim 2, wherein the support device (7) includes a gasket (23) that separates in a fluid-tight manner the two zones (21, 22).
 4. A structure according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the support device (7) comprises a mounting flange (24) on which the pump (6) is mounted and which is connected mechanically and in a fluid-tight manner to the inner lateral surface (12) of the tube (2), so as to support the pump (6) in the tube (2).
 5. A structure according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the support device (7) comprises a support element (11), substantially ring-shaped and fixed to the inner lateral surface (12) of the tube (2); and a mounting flange (24) on which the pump (6) is mounted and which rests on the support element (11).
 6. A structure according to claim 5, wherein an axial sealing gasket (23) is positioned between a lower face (27) of the mounting flange (24) and an upper face (15) of the support element (11).
 7. A structure according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the support device (7) comprises a mounting flange (24) on which the pump (6) is mounted; and an expandable gasket (23), in particular a pneumatic inflatable gasket, carried by the mounting flange (24).
 8. A structure according to claim 7, wherein the gasket (23) is a radial sealing gasket, radially inserted between the mounting flange (24) and the inner lateral surface (12) of the tube (2), and is housed in an annular seat (28), positioned along a radially outer peripheral edge (48) of the mounting flange (24) and facing the inner lateral surface (12) of the tube (2).
 9. A structure according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the gasket (23) is configured to selectively assume a retracted installation configuration, in which the gasket (23) is entirely housed in the seat (28) and does not project radially outside the seat (28); and an expanded sealing configuration, in which the gasket (23) projects radially outside the seat (28) and beyond the edge (48) for contacting the inner lateral surface (12) of the tube (2), and in which the gasket (23) exerts a pressure onto the inner lateral surface (12) of the tube (2).
 10. A structure according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting flange (24) is attached to a suspension element (34), for example a chain or cable or other similar element, which is fixed, at an upper end (4) of the tube (2), to a releasable locking device (35).
 11. A method for making a drinkable water well, comprising the steps of: providing a tube (2) defining a lateral wall of a well; lowering inside the tube (2) a submersible pump (6); mechanically connecting the pump (6) to an inner lateral surface (12) of the tube (2) by means of a support device (7) that supports the pump (6) and connects mechanically and in a fluid-tight manner the pump (6) to the inner lateral surface (12) of the tube (2), in such a way that the tube (2) performs both a structural function, since the tube (2) defines the lateral wall of the well, and a function of channelling the water drawn by the pump (6), since the tube (2) also defines the delivery conduit (10) of the pump (6).
 12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the support device (7) is positioned at a lower end (3) of the tube (2) so at to divide the tube (2) in a lower zone (21) for water suction, in which an inlet (17) of the pump (6) is located, and an upper zone (22), communicating with an outlet (18) of the pump (6) and that constitutes the delivery conduit (10) of the pump (6).
 13. A method according to claim 12, comprising a step of inserting a gasket (23) that separates in a fluid-tight manner the two zones (21, 22).
 14. A method according to one of claims 11 to 13, comprising the steps of: mounting the pump (6) on a mounting flange (24) and connecting mechanically and in a fluid-tight manner the mounting flange (24) to the inner lateral surface (12) of the tube (2), so as to support the pump (6) in the tube (2).
 15. A method according to one of claims 11 to 14, comprising the steps of: providing a lower end (3) of the tube (2) with a support element (11), substantially ring-shaped and fixed to the inner lateral surface (12) of the tube (2) and arranged to receive and support a mounting flange (24) that carries the pump (6); and leaning the mounting flange (24) on the support element (11).
 16. A method according to claim 15, wherein an axial sealing gasket (23) is positioned between a lower face (27) of the mounting flange (24) and an upper face (15) of the support element (11).
 17. A method according to one of claims 11 to 16, comprising the steps of: mounting the pump (6) on a mounting flange (24), provided with an expandable gasket (23), in particular a pneumatic inflatable gasket, housed in an annular seat (28) positioned along a radially outer peripheral edge (48) of the mounting flange (24); lowering the mounting flange (24) with the pump (6) in the tube (2), the gasket (23) being in a retracted installation configuration, in which the gasket (23) is entirely housed in the seat (28) and does not project radially outside the seat (28); expanding the gasket (23), to bring the gasket (23) in an expanded sealing configuration, in which the gasket (23) projects radially outside the seat (28) and beyond the edge (48) for contacting the inner lateral surface (12) of the tube (2).
 18. A method according to one of claims 11 to 17, comprising the steps of attaching the mounting flange (24) to a suspension element (34), for example a chain or cable or other similar element, and fixing the suspension element (34), at an upper end (4) of the tube (2), to a releasable locking device (35).
 19. A method according to one of claims 11 to 18, wherein the tube (2) is a tube already installed in an existing well, and the method comprises the steps of removing from the well the pump present in the well and the associated delivery conduit, and inserting in the tube (2) the pump (6) and the support device (7). 